A single Facebook comment sparked a bigger conversation about Luther’s winter weather response.
A winter storm with unusually prolonged arctic temperatures prompted this anonymous post on a Luther community page:
I’ve been thinking—why do we pay taxes if our public works department doesn’t truly serve us? Why aren’t they plowing, salting, and sanding the roads in town, especially in neighborhoods? Eldridge by the park is a solid sheet of ice. Jones and Choctaw have their own snowplows and salt trucks—why not lend a hand to ODOT and Oklahoma County to help clear roads? It doesn’t make sense that so many residential streets remain untouched. Okay, rant over.
– “Anonymous,” Facebook
Social media isn’t always the best place for a civics lesson, but it can spark a conversation. This post did just that, drawing in a range of opinions and even a Jones public works employee who clarified that Jones does not have a salt truck. The discussion raised bigger questions: Who is responsible for clearing Luther’s roads? And what actually happened on Eldridge Street?
The Inside Scoop from Town Hall
LRN spoke with Town Manager Scherrie Pidcock and Trustees Jerrod Davis and Carla Caruthers. Davis serves as the liaison for the Luther Public Works Authority, and Caruthers, who owns Backdoor Cuts on Dogwood, works closely with the fire department.
Pidcock, taking guidance from Luther Emergency Management, decided to close the office at Town Hall including Wednesday’s municipal court session. But work didn’t stop.
“I keep my email open and check voicemail every half hour to respond to urgent issues,” Pidcock said. “Police and Fire are always on duty. Public Works must test the water and check sewer lift stations seven days a week, with no exceptions. After that, they either stay at the shop or go home and remain on call. And, of course, there are only two of them, and they generally have a lot to do.”
Caruthers saw this firsthand when she got a call from a resident Tuesday night about a water line break near Eldridge Street. Repairing it in sub-freezing temperatures was dangerous. The tough decision? Let the water run and freeze rather than risk injury (and overtime). And there you have it—Eldridge’s ice rink was courtesy of a busted pipe, not neglect.
Who Handles the Roads?
Many assume it’s the town’s responsibility to clear streets, but in Luther, that falls to Oklahoma County. Caruthers recalls the one-day winter event last week: “They were scraping Dogwood early in the morning. I know because it woke me up!”
Luther has a strong working relationship with Oklahoma County District 3, but by law, counties maintain roads in small municipalities. That raises the question: Should Luther invest in its own salt truck?
AI crunched the numbers on a query. The cost of de-icing Luther’s 15 square miles ranges from $35,000 to $450,000, depending on whether rock salt, sand, or alternatives like beet juice are used. Then there are cost considerations of equipment, storage, and labor.
Open Conversations & Future Planning
Trustee Davis encourages residents to bring concerns to town meetings. “I welcome reasonable discourse and questions. Trustees volunteer for these positions and are continuously learning how to do better. It’s always better to bring concerns to a meeting before they become complaints—but that’s not always avoidable.”
Davis also notes that Luther has been in solid financial shape. “Since July 2017, Luther has passed each annual audit. While no grade is assigned, the audit presenter said Luther would get an A+ for financial management.”
Caruthers, recently re-elected to a second term and who always welcomes constituent phone calls, credits the town’s dedicated employees in all departments, including Fire Chief Joe Figueroa. “He’s always working—securing more education, more equipment, new trucks, and EMT training. I’m astounded our firefighters are volunteers. We should have a fundraiser for them—maybe a fish fry?”
Why Shopping Local Matters
Davis has big dreams for Luther: “I’d love to see healthy retail development along the turnpike corridor while keeping Route 66’s charm.”
Why the retail push? Because sales tax is the main revenue source of municipalities. Property taxes don’t fund Luther’s operations—that money goes to Oklahoma County. When you shop and eat out outside of town, albeit with limited choices, Luther misses out on tax revenue that could, perhaps, help fund that elusive salt truck or other needs on the long list. Luther is experiencing a mini-resurgence in the retail business and is a viable location to turn a business dream into the real thing.
To drive the point home, we’ll leave you with two graphics: one from Oklahoma County Assessor Larry Stein breaking down property tax allocations and another comparing January 2025 area sales tax to illustrate the wide range of sales tax revenues that fund operations from town to town.
The Town of Luther Board of Trustees meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. There’s a “citizen participation” item on each agenda. And if you have a freezer full of fish, maybe start planning that fundraiser.
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